The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1887-08-10
Facts About Rats


The rat, though naturally a savage
creature, is capable of being tanned
and made obedient to the viii of man.
Some of the japanese tame rats, and
teach them to perform many tricks;
then they exhibit them.
When the atmospheric pumps were
in use at the terminus of the Corydon
railway hundreds of rats lost their
lives there in this way: At night they
used TO get into the large exhausting
tubes to lick the grease off the leather
valve. As soon as the pump was put
IN order 10 work for the early train,
out these rats were sucked.
A gentleman's house was once in
Tested with rats. and he got completely
rid of them by catching one of them
alive, and covering it with coal tar and
allowing il TO return 10 its hole. At
another time a trap was set at night in
a house where rats were numerous.
and in the morning the trap was
found sprung. with long tail inside.
Its owner had vanished, and, perhaps,
after relating his narrow escape. and
how he had lost his beautiful tail,
took all his rat friends and left the
house forever.
Rats have fine scent for finding
out where there is anything nice 10
eat, and il has often been a subject of
wonder how they managed To get on
board ships laden with sugar and
other attractive cargoes. but the mys-
terry has been solved, for they have
been seen to come off shore to tho
ship by means of the rope which
mOored her To the wharf BY the
same means they viii leave the ship
when she gets into port, particularly
II they find their quarters filling with
water.
Rats have two motions of the Jaw
in biting. The first is soft and deli
cate. and the teeth Just scratch the
object they have hold of. Then fol-
lows quick, powerful action of the
jaw, and the slender teeth sink up TO
the gums and stay there. The bite is
dangerous. If the teeth have gone
deeply into ones hand. it is well to
suck the wound. This seems TO keep
the swelling down, but always IA
good deal of pain follows. There is
no harm in the bite of n well-fed rat.
A frightened rat will fight if cornered,
and viciously, too. The way to grab
rats so that they cannot bite is To seize
them with a strong grip Just back of
the neck. They will howl like stuck
pigs, but cannot get away, and are en-
tirely under control.
The rat is finely equipped for the
peculiar life he is ordained TO lead.
He has strong weapons in the shape of
four long and very sharp teeth. These
teeth have fine edge, the upper work
ing into the lower, SO that they meet in
the act of gnawing; while the soft
part is being worn away, the hard part
keeps its chisel-like edge all the time,
and at the same time the teeth are con-
stantly growing up from the bottom,
so that as they wear away fresh sup
ply is ready. Should one of these
teeth be removed, the opposite tooth
will continue TO grow, and there being
nothing to wear it away, it will pro-
ject from the mouth and be turned
upon itself, and if it be an under tooth
it will grow SO long as to penetrate
the skull.
There are curious facts connected
with the habits of rats which warrant
close observation of them on the
part of those who may have the OPP
portunity. A lady at one time missed
several eggs from her store, and
naturally concluded that they had
been stolen by the servant. She
questioned the girl, who denied any
knowledge of the eggs, which contin-
ued to disappear in the same mystic
rious manner, when one day the thief
was unexpectedly discovered. The
lady observed one morning, on enter
ing her storeroom, singular sight.
A little rat was upon his back upon
the floor and hugging an egg, while a
larger rat was hauling him round by
the tail. In this way, undoubtedly,
all the missing eggs had been carried
away.